In the fabrication of sculptures or busts as known in the art, a mold of a person's face or head is made by applying latex or clay or other soft material against the person's features to obtain an impression thereof. To obtain the necessary impression, the clay, latex or soft material being used, is applied with substantial pressure against the face or head of the person whose bust is to be fabricated. Such pressure results in substantial distortion of the features, and the resulting impression or mold which is left, often does not resemble the true appearance of the person. As is well known in the art, a slight variation in the profile or contour of the cheeks, chin or other soft areas of the face, for example, will result in a substantial change in the facial appearance. This aspect is also particularly applicable to a person's hair. It is almost inevitable that the arrangement of a person's hair will change with the application of molding material, regardless of how delicately and light pressure the molding material is applied.
After the mold has been produced by the conventional method described above, further distortions of the true appearance of a person results from the shrinkages of the metal during solidification, after being poured into the mold in molten state.
When pouring the molten metal into the mold, heretofore, either a solid casting is produced, or one which has an interior air space, for example. If a solid casting is poured, considerable difficulties are encountered with respect to cracking, uneven shrinkages, and final weight of the sculpture. In solidification, the hot metal in contact with the surface of the mold tends to solidify first, and the molten interior will solidify at a considerably later time. These different stages of solidification of the poured metal, produces stresses which result in cracking, deformities and generally weak areas in the sculpture.
If the metal for the sculpture is poured so as to leave a central or interior air space, for example, a metal shell is obtained, but this shell is of non-uniform thickness. The thickness of the metal shell, for example, will be thicker in the vicinity of the nose tip and lips, for example, than at the back of the head. Such non-uniform in thickness results in corresponding non-uniform soldification with the accompanying problems of cracking and distortions in the casting, as described above.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a sculpture which has a metal outer shell and an interior soft core, with the exterior dimensions of the sculpture being a precise replica of a predetermined surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating sculptures in which the metal shell of the sculpture has a uniform thickness.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating sculptures and busts, in which the aforementioned metal shell has a substantially thin wall.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method for fabricating sculptures and busts having maximum structural strength with the least amount of metal used in the shell.
It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a method for the fabrication of sculptures and busts which results in a metal shell that is free of cracks, distortions, and areas of weakness.